Leave it to Mom Made so that you can put the "Merry" before "Christmas" the morning of 12/25.

Christmas morning, the kids are engulfed in present mania but need something nutritious in their bellies to counteract the candy canes. This dish, Mom Made Chicken Apple Meatballs served with maple syrup for dipping, is the perfect protein you can prepare in a couple minutes and they can eat while unwrapping.

Searching for a savory way to start your day? Yeah, we thought so.

Who doesn't love a protein-packed breakfast in the morning? We thought so. We've put together the perfect combination of eggs, cheese and meat and crafted a delectable dish just for you and the kiddos.

Cook Mom Made meatballs as instructed on box. Scramble, or heat frozen eggs patties. Toast English muffins then top with cooked scrambled egg or egg patty. Place halved meatballs on eggs. Top with cheddar cheese. Heat in oven or toaster oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Ten years of gratitude

We’ve been reflecting a lot this year over how far we’ve come the last decade and the special something about this journey…

1. Active and adventurous kids

It all started with the kiddos and our desire to bring them up eating the freshest and healthiest meals possible. They bring vibrancy into our lives every day, and every meal is a chance for them to grow and be nourished and strengthened for the big world in front of them.

2. Motivated and inspired parents

Getting those smiling and happy kids on the right path doesn’t happen by itself. We’re grateful for the moms and dads out there that share in our vision for helping kids of all sizes to eat better and healthier.

3. Freezing

The good ol’ freezing process has been Mom Made Foods’ close ally since the beginning. Freezing is the preservative that makes it possible to deliver healthy snacks and meals to kids without sacrificing time or quality ingredients.

4. The Healthy Eating Movement

The desire to have our kids eat better is shared by far more than just Mom Made Foods. We’re grateful for the community of businesses and enterprises who share in the belief that healthy eating and healthy kids is a cause that we all should support.

5. Healthy ingredients

From the early morning aromas that encircle you during a stroll through a weekend farmer’s market to the smells that emanate from the stovetop and oven on a cool fall evening, we’re grateful for fresh fruits, vegetables and meats and the suppliers who bring them our way.

6. Recipes that inspire

We’re inspired by the recipes we grew up loving, and we hope to impart similar lasting memories with our kiddos.

7. The Mom Made team

Just like healthy eating is a movement on a grand scale, Mom Made Foods is the product of endless effort by amazing individuals with a spectrum of talents that have helped propel us forward.

8. Our retail partners

We’re proud of the grocery chains and stores that are committed to providing healthy and convenient options for kids in the frozen aisle. Albertsons, Central Market, Fry’s, HEB, Hy-Vee, King Soopers, Kroger, Safeway, Smith’s, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market and more are helping change the way our children eat for the better.

9. Dedicated partners

We are indebted to more than just those who wear the Mom Made emblem on their shirts for getting our products on the shelves. We are thankful for the expertise our sales brokers, suppliers and other partners who are helping spread the word and making it possible to reach a wider audience every day.

10. Growth

From a cooler at a farmer’s market to thousands of stores across the country, we are grateful for how Mom Made Foods has grown. The more kids eat healthy and the more parents that have nutritious and convenient options at their fingertips, the better. Let’s keep it going!

Meatballs, dipping sauces & some toothpicks ... what could be simpler?

Whether you're fixing a feast for youngsters or grandparents, this delicious dish is sure to delight!

Total Time: 5-8 Minutes

This one's super simple! Just cook your favorite Mom Made Meatballs as directed on the box, pour some sauces in dipping bowls, set out some toothpicks, and you're good to go! This also works well for the kids who don't care for turkey as a no fuss protein to keep them happy around the table on Thanksgiving. What sauce, you ask? We recommend cranberry, barbecue, and/or apple sauces to dip.

Preparing for Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to get the kids involved with sharing some of the responsibilities in the kitchen. There are plenty of tasks your children can help with no matter what age.

Let each family member select one dish they’d like on the menu. Discuss what new foods they would be willing to try. Use this time to explain the importance of having a balanced meal that includes protein, vegetables and a variety of other dishes.

Let children help with table decorations. Ask them to craft some simple table decorations like placing colorful fall leaves in a bottle and create name cards for all your guests.

For kids who want to be more hands on with the prep work, give them a specific job in the meal preparation, i.e. mashing potatoes, chopping vegetables or stirring the gravy. (Of course, make sure they are being supervised when they are using sharp knives.)

On Thanksgiving, ask your kiddos to help set the dinner table. They can help fold napkins, set out the plates, put ice in the water glasses. Depending on the age, they can also carry plated dishes to the serving area.

Your kids will become more invested in the celebration and come to the table with pride in their contribution. Happy Thanksgiving from the Mom Made family to yours!

Your Candy Will Bring Smiles

Halloween have your kids howlin’ and running around like werewolves during a full moon? Ps- the next full moon on Halloween won’t occur until 2020. No matter how fun trick or treating is, the aftermath can lead to late nights, sour tummies, and fights over who gets the last mini kit-kat. So what’s a Mom or Dad to do when the candy long outlasts your little slugger’s costume? Donate it! It might be hard to believe (for candy-loving speed walkers) but donating your kids candy can help soldiers far from home feel warm and fuzzy, put a smile on a sick kid’s face who didn’t get to go house-to-house wearing their favorite superhero getup, and help families feel a little closer together when they don’t have a place to call home. Also, you can “donate” candy to science – there are some super cool experiments you can do with skittles, starbursts and lifesavers!

Operation Gratitude – send candy to the troops around the world. No matter where a soldier is stationed, it’s probably far from home. What better way to celebrate a night of fun and frivolity than to send a sweet treat to those keeping us safe?! Operation Gratitude will gladly take your leftover candy (if you’re so inclined send some toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss too to keep their smiles sparkling and a handwritten note {reminding them to floss is optional}) and include it in the care packages they send to soldiers throughout the year.

Ronald MacDonald House – Families with sick kiddos can stay here for little to no cost during hospital stays to ensure that all kids have a “home-away-from-home.” Donating your candy to a local chapter of the RMHC can help put a smile on a face who might have had a tough day, long test schedule or just need a pick me up.

Local Homeless Shelters –If you want to donate your kids candy, and teach them a lesson in humility, try checking if the local homeless shelters accept donations of prewrapped candy. Little ones can make up goody bags with their leftover candy, and help out people in need. Many shelters have volunteer hours for high schoolers, families or just those who want to lend a helping hand. It never hurts to teach kids about life and how to make the world a better place.

Science Experiments – Bring back the good ‘ole days by dropping Mentos into a bottle of coke (make sure you stand back!), drop Skittles in water and watch the S’s float to the top, and see if Lifesavers really do spark in the dark!

Hosting a Halloween party doesn’t have to stress out the head Mummy.

Ask friends to bring their favorite dishes, whip up some spooky Witches Brew, throw together some meatball mummies, wrangled up your ghosts and goblins and you’ve got yourself a scary fun party. You can even help your fellow mom-sters by suggesting some creepy dishes to bring – such as severed fingers, spooky snakes, stuffed jack’o lanterns and even some brains! Your mini-brides, knights, Elvis’ and ponies won’t be able to stop talking about all the “gross” stuff they got to eat! Disclaimer: we take no responsibility for Junior telling strangers you made him eat “brains” for dinner.

Party Prep

No one wants to clean up after a party (major buzzkill), so order some scary easy paper plates and silverware that you can just bag up and recycle when the ghosts float home. Amazon has some great patterned party kits that can add a little spark to a super spooky night. We also found these awesome invitations on Paperless Post that will be easier to send out to potential partygoers than gathering howling wolves during a full moon.

Decorations!

Tick tock, tick tock – throw on either Hocus Pocus, or Casper to get the family in the Halloween mood. Then….put the kids to work…err….let them help….decorate the house by creating some handmade ghosts with tissues, black markers and string. Make spiders with construction paper, tape and red markers. String black and orange streamers from wall to ceiling to create a festive Halloween hall. Place “spider webs” around the house and complete the look with spider rings and fake flies. Et voila! You’re very own haunted house and party central!

The Witching Hour!

Mix up a cauldron of Witches Brew {link to other blog post with this} a few hours before your goblins arrive, dress in your favorite costume (we are in love with this one, and this one, and this one!) and fire up @pandora or @iheartradio’s Halloween stations to get some spooky good tunes pumping out of the house as your partygoers and trick or treaters start ringing the doorbell. Bonus points for pulling out your old Rocky Horror Picture Show album and spinning those retro vibes.

Looking for something so yummy it's scary this Halloween?

At Halloween, it can be challenging to get kids eating healthy. When sugary treats abound and veggies seem scarier than normal, treat your kiddos to a tasty dinner packed with protein, good fats, and just the right amount of 'fright'!

Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes

Total Time: 20-30 Minutes

Yields: 8 Skewers

Ingredients:

1 box Mom Made Turkey Meatballs

1 box Linguine Noodles

1 cup Marinara Sauce

Ketchup or diced olives (for eyes, as desired)

Instructions:

Cook linguine noodles according to box directions, drain the add olive oil to coat the noodles preventing them from sticking together. Warm Mom Made Meatball Bites as directed on box. Place four meatballs on each skewer. Wrap linguine noodles around the meatball "body," leaving a space near the top of the skewer for eyes. Dot the opening with marinara sauce, ketchup or diced olives to create eyes.

Heat Mom Made Meatballs as instructed on box. Cut meatballs in half and lay on two slices of bread. Lay one slice of cheese on top of meatballs on each piece of bread. Melt cheese in oven or toaster over until melted as desired. Serve with your favorite fruit or veggie garnish.

Taco Night Made Easy by Mom Made

Kiddos and adults, all love tacos, right? BUT tacos can be messy. Well, we've got your solution. Make some tacos or taco bites with our tasty and healthy meatballs and you're well on your way to a kid-friendly meal with half the work!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 3 Minutes

Construction Time: 5-10 Minutes

Total Time: 15-20 Minutes

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

8 Taco Shells or 1 Bag of Scoop Chips

1 Box Beef & Cheese Mom Made Meatballs

1 cup Lettuce, shredded

1 Jar Salsa

1 C Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Cilantro, additional veggies, guacamole or sour cream optional.

Instructions:

Heat Mom Made Beef & Cheese Meatball Bites according to directions on box. Place lettuce and salsa in taco shells or scoops. Position meatballs on top of lettuce and salsa. Top off with cheddar cheese.

Eat healthy, stay on budget, strive to thrive

With school starting super soon (if it hasn't already), we’d be remiss if we told you we weren’t in full BTS mode here at Mom Made's HQ. So to help keep our cool – and keep our family life on track – we created a few tips and tricks for getting a healthy meal on the table that won’t break the bank, and – depending on where you live – have almost everything on your shopping list delivered right to your door. Instead of waiting in line at the store, hanging out at red lights or piling all the kids in the car, you can relax, grab a glass of wine and spend some quality time with the kiddos before homework quickly eclipses these warm summer nights.

Tip 1 – Make your list ahead of time

Know exactly what you need before you head to the store. Pen and paper seem to be our tried and true method of note taking, but list making apps are super great too! Shelf Scouter and Any List are two of our favorites.

Tip 2 – Use online coupons!

Apps like Shrink are designed to hold your favorite product coupons in your phone, and reward you when you buy – no clipping required! There’s also some Mom Made coupons in the Shrink app (hint, hint).

Tip 3 – Meal plan

Take 30 minutes at some point during the week(end) and plan out what you’ll have for dinner that week. Our founder, Heather, swears by a meal planning weekly subscription with The Six O'Clock Scramble. Whether you create a spreadsheet with ingredients, recipes and the like, Pinterest boards of awesome crockpot dishes, or let the Scramble's service do it for you, you’ll breathe easier knowing that you have a few ideas when the week starts and the family inevitably asks “what’s for dinner?” or schedules have to be moved around because a soccer game is the same time as ballet rehearsal!

Tip 4 – Order online

Take advantage of online shopping to get your groceries delivered right to your door! Instacart and Amazon Pantry offer door to door service without getting off the couch. Fresh veggies, fruits, meats, pastas, sauces, and more are all available – often at the same price as your regular store. You’ll have more time to spend with the family, and no one tugging on you at the checkout line for those pesky M&Ms that just happen to be at eye level.

Tip 5 – Get the kiddos involved

Every chef needs a sous chef right? Let the little ones belly up to the kitchen counter and teach them the finer art of slicing and dicing veggies, rolling out dough, measuring flour and layering up lasagna. Classic dishes like meatloaf will really get their hands dirty (be sure to wash hands afterwards!) and baking cookies will make even the sourest of homework frowns turn upside down. Since older kids can handle some chores they can help with cleanup and setting the kitchen table. Give mini chefs a different job each night, so they get the full range of what it really means to be on Chopped Junior! Eat healthy, stay on budget, strive to thrive.

Thoughts from an 11-year old. Why eat healthy foods?

My name is Emory and I'll soon be starting 6th grade. I love to play soccer, ride my bike, swim, play with my friends, do triathalons and I also love to cook.

I believe eating healthy is one of those things that everyone needs to do. I have always been eating healthy, so that I grow more. One of the reasons I love eating healthy is because of all the happiness it brings.

Usually after I have a good meal I think, ”WOW this feels really good”, or sometimes after I eat a lot of candy I feel, ”Ohh I can’t eat any more.” Which feeling would you pick? I think that I would pick eating the healthy food, which is always the better choice.

As I get older, I have started to learn more about the world happening around me, and one of those things is that so many people don't eat healthy foods. Growing up with a mom that has an organic food business I have always been eating healthy. The majority of the food in our house is organic. Since I have been eating healthy foods for so long I learned to like them a lot. I love to eat fruit and vegetables, they are two of my favorite snacks. Fruits and vegetables are the best things to eat, they give you all the right nutrition that your body needs to stay healthy.

Knock, knock, it's your Mom Made Meatballs!

Gone are the days when grocery shopping was a time consuming trip to the store with screaming or sleepy kiddos. Now Mom Made and all your other favorite products can be delivered straight to your door in an hour. An hour, friends.

Instacart sends one of their trained shoppers to your local grocery store so you can stay home, stay at the game, or just stay out of the store! Did we mention Instacart has exclusive Mom Made coupons on their site? You're welcome :-)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough on floured surface to desired size. Brush pan with olive oil and place dough on pan. Spoon sauce onto dough. Top with meatballs and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake in the middle of your oven for 10-12 minutes, or until dough is cooked and cheese is hot and melted. Garnish with fresh basil if you'd like. Enjoy!

BTS Tips for a Healthy Lunchtime

Don’t just get back to school, get Back to You! Both Mom Made Foods and Lunchskins are committed to making Back to School easy, healthy, and eco-friendly.

With Back to School on the horizon, we know you’re already experiencing sleepless nights over packing lunches. Lunchbox and snack-bag woes abound at this time of year… but fear not! Lunchskins and Mom Made Foods are here with our parent-approved, super simple tips to avoid the packed lunch blues all year long.

Go Reusable & Eco-Chic

This Back to School season, go eco-chic! Kiss disposable plastic good-bye forever by investing in stylish reusable bags, bottles, cutlery, and containers. In just one shopping trip, you’ll make a difference… and give your grocery bill a well-deserved break!

Plan (and Pack) Ahead

Who else has nearly gotten frostbite from 7:30 a.m., “what do I pack?” refrigerator exposure? Keep the cold at bay by planning and packing ahead the night (or even the week) before. Keep it simple by planning on leftovers when cooking and put those reusable containers to work to store leftovers (both frozen and fridge-worthy) and cut up fruits or veggies for grab-and-go lunch and snack packs.

Get Inspired

Sick of the same old PB&J day after day? Pinterest has you covered with thousands of bento box, kabob, and deconstructed sandwich inspirations to satisfy your midday cravings. Follow your favorite food, mom, and family blogs on Instagram for creative ideas and easy recipes to keep the kids fed and your sanity in check! And don't forget - you can find us at @mommadefoods and @lunchskins on Instagram and Pinterest for mommy inspiration.

Get the Kids Involved

Nothing builds confidence and independence in kids than encouraging them to get involved in day-to-day tasks. Make packing lunch and snack part of their daily routine by stocking up on family-friendly, good-for-you favorites to create a “lunch packing station” on your kitchen counter. Your kids will develop healthy habits for life… and save you the headache of last-minute sandwich-making.

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Grab a 20% discount and free shipping with code "3GM20." AND -- now through September 30th (or until supplies run out), Lunchskins will include a free mini zip Lunchskins ($6 value) with any $25+ purchase on the website.

Have a yummy recipe, clever lunchbox tip, or stylish school supplies pic you’d love to share? Post on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with #Back2You to show us how you get back to school in fresh, green fashion.BTS

Wondering where you can go to pick up some Mom Made for your Lunchskins? Click here to find Mom Made in a freezer aisle near you.

After many months of developing a great-tasting gluten-free noodle, we are pleased to announce that our first gluten-free product is featured in the Celiac Disease Foundation's marketplace. Our Gluten-Free Cheesy Mac is available for purchase directly from Amazon or click here to find a Kroger, Dillon, King Soopers, Fry's, Ralphs, or Smith's carrying this item in the freezer aisle near you.

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